


Baby, Please Come Home

by sublymonal



Category: Faking It (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 21:23:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5471258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sublymonal/pseuds/sublymonal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Christmas rolls around and Shane is down in the dumps about missing Duke. The gang uses Hester’s annual Christmas card to try and cheer him up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby, Please Come Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Meadow Lion (Meadow_Lion)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meadow_Lion/gifts).



**12 Days Until Christmas**

            “Die, die, die!” Liam was mashing the buttons on his Xbox controller so hard it sounded like the batteries would pop out the back any second.

            “Liam, that’s me!” Shane shouted, trying to steer his character away from the gunfire.

            “Oh shit, I think I just killed you…” Liam groaned, putting his controller down when their screens suddenly went black.

            “That’s the fourth time you’ve done that…” Shane said, tossing his controller aside as well.

            “I need to piss anyway. Why don’t we switch to a movie?” Liam suggested, pushing himself off of Shane’s bed.

            “Sure, I’ll see what else is on…” Shane replied, grabbing the remote to flick back to TV mode. He pulled up the guide and scrolled through, looking for something interesting. There were a couple good movies on the pay-per-view channels but nothing on cable. Shane was just about to pick the remake of _Black Christmas_ when his eyes caught another one of the pay-per-view channels.

            It was an MMA fight between Fernando Ortega, a famous Mexican fighter, and Duke. Shane checked the door to make sure Liam wasn’t coming back already then flicked to the channel, paying for the channel before he could think twice about it. The fight had already started and based on the beating Duke was getting, he was losing. His nose looked out of place and the inside of his mouth looked red with blood. For a moment, Shane felt protective over Duke, like he had when they were dating and the media would attack him about his sexuality. In a moment, Liam barged back into his room and Shane quickly fumbled with the remote, flicking back to the movie.

            “What were you just watching?” Liam asked, taking a seat beside him again.

            “Nothing…” Shane said, hoping his tone sounded more convincing to Liam than it did to himself.

            “Pretty sure that was sports. You aren’t turning straight on me, are you Harvey?” His friend replied, clapping him on the shoulder.

            “No, it was… Duke. One of his fights is on…” Shane confessed, hoping Liam wouldn’t judge him for his moment of weakness.

            “Really? Was he winning?” Liam asked, cringing at the insensitivity of his own question a moment too late, but Shane responded quicker than he could apologize.

            “No, he was being beaten up. Not that I care…” He said, feigning a casual tone that, again, didn’t fool anyone.

            “Really? Because you’ve been chronically single since you two broke up. I mean, there was Wade but I don’t know if he even counts…” Before Liam could even finish, Shane was rolling his eyes.

            “Thanks Booker, you haven’t been doing great yourself. Still pining over Karma…” Shane said, deflecting the attention from his own love life. Shane knew Liam was right though and as much as he wanted to move on, he still thought about Duke more than he cared to admit.

            “Yeah, well, I think we just need a distraction…” Liam said, the two of them jumping suddenly when a woman screamed onscreen, but a few seconds later, Liam had jumped up and snatched his backpack off Shane’s floor.           

            “Where are you going?” Shane asked, confused by his friend’s sudden desire to leave.

            “Nothing, you’ll see… I have to go.” Liam stammered, trying to be inconspicuous about his plans and disappearing before Shane could finish his follow-up question.

 

**11 Days Until Christmas**

            “Please, Karma… he really needs this.” Liam begged, leaning on the locker next to hers as she rifled through her stuff looking for her Chemistry notes.

            “No, Margot said I could be in charge of the Christmas card this year. Oliver is in charge of the Hanukkah card and Brenda is in charge of the non-denominational card.” Karma said firmly, refusing to give up her job.

            “Then make him your assistant or something. He needs a distraction. I’m going to be doing the sets, Amy is going to be doing the photography, Lauren is doing the costumes. He’ll have no one to keep him from wallowing over Duke.” At this point, Liam was giving her his best puppy dog eyes and he could tell between those and the fact that Karma had to be in class exactly three minutes and forty seconds ago, she was about to cave just to get him to go away.           

            “Fine, he can be my assistant. But that’s it. If he tries to hijack my creative vision, I’ll fire him faster than he can change into the skimpy elf costume he wore on last year’s card…”

            “Thank you, Karma, thank you! You’re the best, I love you!” Liam repeated, turning bright red when the last part slipped from his mouth. “Gotta go…” He quickly added, speed-walking away and muttering to himself about how stupid he was once he got around the corner.

 - - -

            “No, absolutely not…” Shane hissed in a hushed tone to Liam during Spanish class. “I know what you’re trying to do and it won’t work. I don’t need a distraction…”

            “That is so not what I’m trying to do…” Liam fibbed, avoiding eye contact for a moment in case Shane read right through him like he had a tendency to do. “I just think that, since the card you designed last year was such a hit, Karma could benefit from a little bit of your expertise.”

            “My card was a hit because sex sells, Booker. Every girl in school wanted that card after I said I’d have you and Duke as the shirtless sexy Santas on the front of it.” Shane scoffed, as if insulted by Liam’s insinuation that Karma could ever pull off the same success.

            “Exactly!” Liam said, lowering his voice halfway through the word and giving the teacher an apologetic look when she turned to look at them. “You know that kind of stuff, Karma doesn’t…” He added, making a mental note to apologize to Karma in advance for Shane’s condescending tone.

            “Fine, but only because I think you’re right. She’s probably desperate.” Shane said offhandedly, highlighting a line in his textbook to make it look like he’d read anything. When Shane said no more about it, Liam leaned back in his chair and breathed a sigh of relief, hoping his plan to cheer Shane up would work.

 - - -

            “So I was thinking we go for a classic, old school Christmas. Family in front of the fireplace, unwrapping presents, drinking hot cocoa… Liam and I can playing the mom and dad and we’ll use someone’s little brother and sister as the kids…”

            “Gag me with a spoon…” Shane said under his breath, but loud enough that Karma stopped talking and glared at him.

            “What’s your suggestion then?” Lauren barked at him, clearly on board with something normal at Hester for once.

            “Well yours is too traditional and also sounds like a page out of Karma’s Malibu Dream House.” Shane said with a groan, making Liam and Karma both blush, but he hardly noticed as he forged on, “I say we buck tradition and go for a modern version of the family. Single mom, two gay dads… that kind of thing.” Shane suggested.

            Lauren just rolled her eyes, but a few of the others scattered about the seats in the auditorium murmured in agreement. “Seriously guys?” Karma fired back at them.

            “Shane might be right with this one. I mean, nothing about Hester is traditional…” Amy chimed in, her voice wavering a bit when Karma put her hands on her hips and gave her a look for not supporting her. 

            “And who would you suggest play the family?” She said, attempting to poke holes in Shane’s idea. 

            “Well, I think we should respect Hester’s demographics and cast two real gay men as the dads. So me and… we can do a casting call for the other…” Shane replied easily, as if it were obvious.

            “No way, we’re not having an elaborate Christmas themed version of the Gay Bachelor just so you can find a boyfriend.” Karma barked back. “Liam can be your baby daddy and I’ll be the single mother.” She said, determined to keep some semblance of her original vision. 

            Shane looked at Liam then back at Karma again with a shrug. “Fine by me…” He said with a chuckle that made Karma glare at Liam as if this were all his fault before storming off.

 

**10 Days Until Christmas**

            “No groping my butt during the picture…” Shane said, sitting on the desk in Liam’s workshop and watching his friend put the finishing touches on the fireplace for the background.

            “I make no promises…” Liam joked, holding up his paint-covered hands with a smirk. Just as Liam bent over to adjust the red and orange tissue that served as fake flames in the grate, a hard, fast knock came at the door.         

            “I’ll get it...” Shane said, bouncing off the desk and skipping to the door. When he opened it, he groaned a little, finding himself face-to-face with Lauren.

            “Your costumes are ready.” She said begrudgingly, clearly hoping to meet Liam instead. She thrust the outfits she had sewn into Shane’s hand then turned on her heel and left. “Oh and try them on today so I have time to fix them if they don’t fit…” She added before disappeared around the corner. 

            “Yes your highness…” Shane muttered as he closed the door, tossing their outfits on the desk and walking around the elaborate set piece to check out what Liam had done.

            “You know, Karma may be the closest thing Hester has to the Grinch but this fireplace is pretty awesome…” Shane said, laying a hand on the mantle and admiring his best friend’s handiwork.

            “Yeah, I’m pretty proud of it.” Liam said, wiping his hands on his pants. “Alright, let’s try on those costumes…” He said, snatching his up – a red tartan three-piece suit. Shane had the same one but in green. Liam dropped his khaki pants around his ankles, stepping out of them and stripping off his shirt a second later. “Jeeze, are we consummating our marriage already?” Shane joked, getting a playful nudge on the shoulder from Liam’s hand. 

            Once the two of them had changed, they went to stand in front of the full-length mirror in one corner of the room. “Not bad, Lauren…” Shane murmured. “We’d pass for a couple if you didn’t look like such a bro…” He said, teasing Liam with another friendly push. 

            “Let’s just go tell her they’re fine 'cause I’m starving…” Liam said, Shane nodding in agreement as the two of them stripped down again and changed back into their old clothes.

\- - -

            Liam had left Shane in the car, running into the grocery store to grab a few frozen pizzas for them. He was just closing the door to the freezer when he noticed the person next to him, narrowly avoiding him as he turned.         

            “Duke?”

            “Liam? Oh shit man, how are you?” Duke said, extending one arm to hug him before tossing the frozen peas he was holding into his cart.

            “Uh, I’m fine. You look like you’ve been better. Those peas for your face?” Liam joked, seeing Duke flush a little under the bruising and cuts from his fight.

            “Nah, family dinner. I’m back in town for the holidays so it’s a different event every night.” He explained, pausing for a long while despite the evident weight in the air that he wanted to say more. “How’s Shane?”

            “He’s good… he’s actually waiting for me in the car if you wanted to see him.” Liam offered, not sure if it was the best idea for either of them but not wanting to keep Duke away from him either.

            “Nah, I’m sure he doesn’t want to see me. He probably moved on ages ago…” Duke sighed, taking the handlebars on his cart and starting to push it back to the cash. For a moment, Liam stood there, debating whether to say anything about Shane’s current state of mind. “Anyway, it was good seeing you Liam.” Duke added.

            “Actually, Duke…”

\- - - 

            “What are you smiling about? Did they have a two for one sale on hair gel or something?” Shane asked when Liam got back in the car.

            “Oh nothing…” Liam chimed, trying to keep his friend in the dark as he turned to pull out of their parking spot.

 

**9 Days Until Christmas**

            “Okay people, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can all go home!” Karma shouted over the noise of people chatting about the imminent Winter break.

            “Karma’s going to kill you!” Shane said when Liam wandered on set without his suit on. The stage had been set up exactly the way Karma had described it in her original idea, complete with a real Christmas tree with presents stacked underneath, as well as Liam's fireplace and two couches and a coffee table.

            “Lauren had to adjust it. I think I ate too much of that pizza last night…” Liam joked, seeing the panicked look on Shane’s face. “Relax, I’ll be ready…” Liam said, reassuring him as Karma stormed past them, yelling at several younger students about the miserable job they had done decorating the tree. “Fine, I’ll go check if she’s finished…” He said after seeing the way Shane looked at him, heading off stage again.

            “You look like a wreck…” Amy said, suddenly appearing over Shane’s shoulder with her camera in her hands.

            “I feel like one. Between Karma biting everyone’s heads off and Liam not being ready, I feel like we’re never going to get this thing done…” He said dejectedly, leaving out the part about how his feelings for Duke had reached an all-time high now that he was here taking the picture. Last year, he and Duke were laughing and teasing Liam about his costume and Duke had groped his butt during the picture, sneaking kisses between shots. They had been so happy then and now Shane felt like he had taken it all for granted.

            “Where the hell is Liam?” Karma shouted, suddenly breaking Shane’s reverie.

            “He went to go get his costume from Lauren.” Shane said, noticing Karma’s get up for the first time: Fifties style curls and a long dress. She actually looked pretty, Shane thought, despite the manic look in her eyes. 

            A moment later, Liam appeared at the side of the stage but he wasn’t wearing the suit Lauren had made him. He was in a white shirt, a thin tie and black slacks. His outfit, if anything, was more of a match to Karma's.

            “What the hell, Liam? I thought you were with me…” Shane said in a hushed voice as everyone started to get in place.

            “Actually, he’s with you…” Liam said, pointing back over his shoulder just as someone else came through the side of the stage.

            “Duke?” Shane breathed, his voice barely a whisper as he watched his ex-boyfriend join them, wearing the same red suit Liam had, only it fit him better. A lot better, Shane noticed. Lauren had clearly adjusted the shoulders and arms to accommodate Duke's added size, but when this had all happened, Shane had no idea. Before he could stop himself, his eyes had started to water and when Duke finally made it to him, Shane was shaking his head. “You aren’t supposed to be here…” He stammered, trying to hold back his tears as Duke put his hands on Shane’s arms, holding him in place.

            “Well, I am… I’m here for you…” Duke said in that soft, soothing voice that made Shane feel warm, his thunderous heartbeat slowing.

            “But… how? How did you know?” Shane replied, his voice breaking with emotion.

            “Liam told me. I saw him in the grocery store yesterday and he said you missed me so if I missed you, I should do something about it.” Duke stated, chuckling when Shane sniffled.

            “So you aren’t dating anyone else?” Shane gasped between tears, his emotions betraying him and his imagination having made the whole situation worse over the past year.

            “No, of course not. I haven’t dated anyone since we broke up. I couldn’t… I’d only compare them to you.” Duke said, his hands rubbing Shane's arms and somehow managing to keep his voice quiet under the swell of noise around them, grateful that the others were busy setting up.

            “That’s- that’s how I felt…” Shane stuttered, moving in closer to Duke when he hugged him a moment later. When they broke apart, Shane went to wipe his tears off his cheeks but Duke did it for him, his thumb brushing them off aside. 

            “You don’t have to cry you know… I’m not going anywhere this time…” Duke said, leaning in closer until his lips were just a few inches from Shane’s. Shane just nodded, not sure what to say and worried that if he spoke he might kiss Duke again. He had been thinking about being able to doing it again for over a year now. He was just going to turn away when Duke put one strong hand on his jaw and pulled him back in, kissing him just the way Shane remembered it. It didn’t take long for Shane to ease back into it, his tongue daring to venture into Duke’s mouth before they broke apart, both of them smiling as Shane’s tears finally subsided.

            “Places everyone!” Karma shouted, shattering the moment, but neither of them minded too much. They would have more time together once the picture was done. Karma and Liam climbed onto one couch while Duke and Shane climbed on another, a coffee table in between them and the fire glowing in the background. 

            “Okay guys… one, two, three…” Amy said from the audience, the flash exploding a moment later and Shane smiling for the first time in weeks as Duke pulled him closer with an arm around him.

**Christmas Eve**

            Duke had another fight before Christmas, but for the first time in almost a year, he and Shane were texting again. The day after the picture, Duke flew out to Miami and flicked his phone back on after the flight to a snap of Shane's best pouty face. Duke sent a similar one back with the caption, "I miss you". Shane had replied with a joke about wanting the two things he couldn't have for Christmas: snow in Austin and Duke. Duke texted Shane to let him know he'd be back on Boxing Day and then they could celebrate (hence the early family dinner).

            On Christmas Eve, he was sitting around the TV with his mom watching old movies when the doorbell rang. "Carolers?" His mom asked, getting up and taking the bowl of popcorn with her as she went to the door. 

            Shane stayed on the couch, checking his phone every minute for word from Duke, but he hadn't heard from him since he went into the ring several hours earlier. "Shane, honey. Your friends are here..." His mom called from the doorway.

            Shane got up, already in his pajamas and padded down the hall, taking his phone with him just in case. "Who is it?" Shane said, hardly paying attention until he heard a familiar voice. "Duke!" Shane suddenly shouted, tackling him in the doorway and grateful in retrospect for his strength and reflexes since he caught him without hesitating.

            "Hey you..." Duke said with a grin, giving him a quick kiss and telling him to grab a pair of shoes.

            "But I'm not dressed..." Shane said, gesturing to his pajamas but too excited at Duke's suddenly appearance to argue with the spontaneity of the situation.

            "So what? We'll be in my limo the whole time..." Duke said with a shrug, gesturing over his shoulder to the black car that was parked by the curb waiting.

            "Where are we going?" Shane asked as he pulled on his boots following Duke down the pathway to his house and into the car, piling in the dark backseat with him. Before Duke could answer, Shane found himself in a pile of warm blankets. He blushed when Duke pulled the warm layers around the two of them, curling up in the backseat together as the driver took off, apparently already informed of their destination.

            "You'll see..." Duke said with a mysterious grin, reaching for something under the seat and coming up with a box of Oreos and a thermos of something, which turned out to be hot chocolate with a touch of liquor.

            "Since when do you eat Oreos?" Shane teased, but he didn't complain when Duke smiled and grabbed a few for himself before handing the box to Shane. Shane had to admit that his night had gotten dramatically better in the last five minutes.

\- - -

            "Here we are..." Duke said, pressing a button beside him that opened the roof of the limo. The two of them stood on the leather seats, hanging out of the top of the car and watching as the driver slowed down in one of Austin's richer neighborhoods where every house was decked to the hilt in lights.

            "Wow... it's amazing." Shane said, mouth agape and feeling like a child again.

            "Come on. Let's go check it out..." Duke said, popping his head back in then hurrying out onto the street, Shane following him with a blanket wrapped around himself. 

            "I'm in my pajamas though!" Shane called after him as Duke led the way, walking slowly past a couple houses to the big one on the corner.

            "So? No one will see... and besides, it's Christmas Eve..." Duke replied, slowing down a bit more so he could hold Shane's hand as they walked. Every now and then they'd sneak kisses just because they could, sometimes lingering for a bit too long in front of one house, making out with their hands exploring each others' bodies under their layers of clothing like they use to, but every time Duke would break the kiss apart and keep them moving, clearly on a mission to somewhere.

            "Where are we going?" Shane whined, his feet a little sore and the rest of him a little cold by now and acutely aware of the walk back to the limo after.

            "You'll see..." Duke repeated, that same smirk taking over his face. A second later they turned a corner and there, under the glow of about a thousand white lights draped over one massive house was what Duke had been looking for. The house and the lawn was blanketed in snow, a large black machine on one corner of their lawn  producing copious amounts of it that lingered just long  to form piles enough thanks to the brisk weather in Austin. Shane's eyes lit up, picking up the pace and following Duke faster until the two of them were standing under the blizzard floating out of the machine.

            "This is... perfect." Shane said, looking up at the snow then back at Duke's smiling face, watching as the flakes caught in his eyelashes.

            "Merry Christmas Shane..."


End file.
